Local News

After much discussion, the Shelby County Board of Education approved the design for the building that will become the district's second high school at its March 20 meeting.

Despite several of the board members leveling heavy criticism against the plan, the design was approved by a vote of four to one. Board members took issue with the design because of the position of the building and the number of entrances and exits that the campus will initially have.

Shelbyville City Council started fresh Thursday, March 20, when they had a first reading of a new ordinance that repeals the alcohol sales regulatory license fee.

Two weeks ago when the council met there were two drafts awaiting them, both repealing the tax. The difference between the two was that one ordinance called for the refunding of any amounts that had been collected by the fee, and the other did not.

At that time, the council approved the ordinance that did not require the money to be refunded, deciding to discuss what will be done with the funds at a later date.

She said it happened for the first time when she was a freshman at Shelby County High School.

The now 18-year-old female who agreed to speak to The Sentinel-News on the condition she not be identified, is one of two young women who came forward in the recent case against former teacher Scott Stumbo, with allegations that he harassed her by making sexually inappropriate comments to her.

In addition, one of the girls alleged Stumbo handed her a typed, unsigned note, which contained sexually suggestive language, according to school officials in September 2006.

After next week the streets of Shelby County will likely be cleaner and freer from litter and debris, thanks to the planned efforts of a coalition of environmentally concerned citizens.

The local cleanup effort is part of a statewide initiative called "Commonwealth Clean Up Week." The event is designed to make the highways and hedges of Kentucky more beautiful and environmentally sustainable.

The city of Simpsonville is growing by leaps and bounds - in land if not in people.

At its Wednesday meeting, the commission voted 5-0 to annex 130 acres of land south of the city and across I-64. The annexation had been requested by AKDB, LLC, which is owned by John (Papa John) Schnatter.

A new judicial center, which has been in the talking and planning stages for more than five years, is getting ever closer to reality. The Project Development Board Wednesday looked at a rendering the architectural firm designing the building called "99 percent complete."

"It is in the last stages of design," said architect Dennis Arthur, with CMW firm, which is designing the building. "Of course, with a building like this it's never really done until it's built."

A little over 25 years ago, Susan Wiley was taking classes at the Shelby County Area Technology Center in order to prepare for her future career in business. Wiley credits her education there for putting her on a successful career path and for helping her to land her new job as the school's new principal.

Wiley, who will take her position as head of the technical school in two weeks, said she is excited about her new position and the possibility it affords in influencing students' education.

Triple S Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing Tuesday on the subject of new zoning maps and approved the motion to suggest to the Shelby County, Shelbyville, and Simpsonville governing bodies that the new Geographic Information System zoning maps replace their current official zoning maps.

Ryan Libke, executive director of Triple S, explained that the new maps would be easier to both comprehend and work with than the old maps.

A usually routine appointment to a water board brought complaints of politics-as-usual at Tuesday's fiscal court meeting, rejection by the court, and a 'scolding' by county Judge-Executive Rob Rothenburger.

Rothenburger nominated Process Machinery President David Miles to a four-year term on the West Shelby Water District Board. He would replace Bob McDowell, of Simpsonville, who has sat on the board for 17 years. McDowell's term recently expired.